Evaluation of the management of the Sport and Culture Loan Book - summary of the final report
Evaluation of the operating model to manage £474m in loans provided to 120 organisations in the sport and culture sectors to support their survival through the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) (at the time the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) provided support to the culture and sports sectors to help them survive during the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative provided £474 million in loans to 120 organisations as part of wider support packages.
The funding was distributed through two programmes:
- Culture Recovery Fund (CRF): £256 million provided to 37 cultural bodies, distributed by Arts Council England.
- Sport Survival Package (SSP): £218 million provided to 83 sports bodies, distributed by Sport England.
DCMS’s management of these loan portfolios is consolidated under a single operating model. The core delivery partners are DCMS, the Loan Agents (Arts Council England and Sport England), and - currently - PwC as a Managed Service Provider (MSP).
Ecorys conducted a process evaluation in summer 2025 to assess the management of the Loan Book. The evaluation examined the efficiency, effectiveness, risk management, and resourcing of the operating model. Evidence was gathered through document reviews, stakeholder interviews with external experts and delivery partners, system walkthroughs, and a survey of borrowers.